There've been too many Men-O-Gawd in my life, so I guess I'm glad Billy Graham wasn't one of them. I don't know that I've even heard a full sermon.

The fundy version of Billy Graham in some Russian churches was David Wilkerson, and I read a few of his sermon transcripts (plus his end-is-nigh Vision book). His passing didn't affect me, but then I'm a tough nut to crack.

I dunno. Seems to me these guys are celebrities more than anything, good bad and ugly, selling something and helping some people get through life. Will people mourn BG's death like they did Robin Williams'?

Thus it is not by incessant care that we become faithful and exact in the smallest things, but simply by a love which is free from the reflections and fears of restless and scrupulous souls. - Fénelon

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster and treat those two impostors just the same...

He's one of the few without a scandal on his record. My old church always saw him as a great man who lost his way in old age, but they never disparaged his character. The fundy high even took a field trip to the Billy Graham Library after I had graduated.

I was reading through some articles about his life, and I learned some interesting things. He went to BJU for a year before jumping ship because he didn't agree with their strictness on certain things. He was also friends with MLK Jr., whom he once invited to pray at one of his crusades. I wouldn't mind picking up a biography to learn more about him.

james33 Wrote:but its weird how these fundies that used to rail against him for compromising are suddenly saying how he was a great man of God on their social media accounts.

The church where I grew up was generally Graham positive, and they posted a lot about him. The church I attended before I finally left the IFB was more Hyles in nature, and I don't know how they felt about Graham. They didn't have his portrait on their wall of fame as they did Hyles, Norris, and others. Their social media posted a lot more regarding Lee Roberson's passing that Billy Graham. They actually had Roberson preach at the church occasionally, though, so I guess it makes sense.

(02-22-2018, 12:02 PM)WalrusWrangler Wrote: I was reading through some articles about his life, and I learned some interesting things. He went to BJU for a year before jumping ship because he didn't agree with their strictness on certain things. He was also friends with MLK Jr., whom he once invited to pray at one of his crusades. I wouldn't mind picking up a biography to learn more about him.

Contrasted to

Quote:He said he does not believe Trump’s chief strategist Steve Bannon is a white supremacist, despite Bannon’s strong connection to the alt-right movement. He also does not believe that white supremacy is on the rise in this country.

(02-22-2018, 12:02 PM)WalrusWrangler Wrote: I was reading through some articles about his life, and I learned some interesting things. He went to BJU for a year before jumping ship because he didn't agree with their strictness on certain things. He was also friends with MLK Jr., whom he once invited to pray at one of his crusades. I wouldn't mind picking up a biography to learn more about him.

Contrasted to

Quote:He said he does not believe Trump’s chief strategist Steve Bannon is a white supremacist, despite Bannon’s strong connection to the alt-right movement. He also does not believe that white supremacy is on the rise in this country.

That's Franklin, not Billy. The article confounds things by referring to them both as "Graham," but that quote is from Franklin. The article also noted that Billy disagreed with Franklin on some political issues, had a radically different approach to their ministries and work, and that Franklin is much more of a "culture warrior" than Billy ever tried to be. Billy distanced himself from partisanship and the Christian right after Nixon. Also, Billy has only met Trump once, back in 2013, and for the last several years he has been unable to see, hear, or talk very much. He hasn't weighed in on recent politics, to my knowledge.

(02-22-2018, 12:02 PM)WalrusWrangler Wrote: I was reading through some articles about his life, and I learned some interesting things. He went to BJU for a year before jumping ship because he didn't agree with their strictness on certain things. He was also friends with MLK Jr., whom he once invited to pray at one of his crusades. I wouldn't mind picking up a biography to learn more about him.

Contrasted to

Quote:He said he does not believe Trump’s chief strategist Steve Bannon is a white supremacist, despite Bannon’s strong connection to the alt-right movement. He also does not believe that white supremacy is on the rise in this country.

here comes the idiots who keep confusing Franklin Graham with Billy Graham. You really think Billy Graham made those statements or even know what "alt-right" means, especially being 97-99 between 2016-now? Stupidity at it's max.